Medicine-package.



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MEDICINE PACKAGE.

' (Application led May 1, 1899.)

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I/VILLIS E. PATTISON, OF SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS.

lVIEDICINE-PACKAGE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,855, dated October 10, 1899.

Application led May l, 1899. Serial No. 715,099. (No model.)

To all whom/t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, WILLIS E. PATTISON, of Sharon, county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Medicinal Packages, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,- is a specication, like letters on the drawings representinglike parts.

For many ailments certain components or sets of medicines are almost invariably taken in regular sequence at certain intervals, and it is the custom generally to have the different component medicines of a set put up in separate vials, or it may-be in liquid form in separate glasses, with a label on each one indicating when it is to be taken, and, indeed, various devices have been invented for indicating to the patient which medicine is to be taken next, these indicators, however, being liable to get inislaid and being always more or less uncertain. With a view to avoiding mistakes in these particulars, and with a further View to provide a simple, attractive, and convenient means for putting up medicines of this character, I have invented a package to be placed upon the market, comprisin g a suitable holder, preferably of transparent material, such as glass, or otherwise constructed to permit the contents to be viewed, and in this holder I place the medicine in the form of tablets or tabules, each,

for instance, containing the proper quantity for an individual dose, the tablets of each kind of medicine being visually distinguishable from each and all of the other kinds, the tablets being arranged in predetermined order and indicating by the sequence of their visual characteristics the order in which the different kinds of medicine are to be taken.

My invention will be more clearly comprehended when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated my invention.

Figure l represents in side elevation one embodiment of my invention, the holder being partially broken away to show more clearly the contents. Fig. 2 is a similar view, but

with the contents arranged in a plurality of series of tablets, each series containing different kinds of tablets arranged in a predetermined sequence, and Fig. 3 shows in perspective the several tablets composing a sinL gle series. i

Viewing Fig. l of the drawings, dx designates the holder, herein shown as a cylindrical vial of thin glass, having a suitable shape-and length to accommodate the required number of tablets d 0,', but shown as internally of such size as to prevent their passing one another. Obviously this is one means of requiring the diiferent kinds of tabules relatively to each other to be removed in the order in which they are predeterminately arranged in the holder. These tablets are superimposed in the vial one on the other, predeterminately arranged in the order or sequence in which the doses are to be taken, being herein shown as arranged alternately, the differentkinds being visually distinguishable from each other- 21s, for instance, by color, represented by shaded and white tablets, to be taken alternately. The white tablets, as a, may be aconite, for instance, and the shaded ones, as o1', mercurius, the holder in that instance being suitably labeled for colds, and in such case all that the user is required to do is simply to take one tablet after another in the order of their arrangement without charging his memory as to which one he took before. The visual characteristic of each kind of tablet is distinguishable at a glance, so that only the most ordinary observation will suffice on the part of the user.

In case the remedies are such that they should not be alternated, but should be taken in a sequence of three, for example, then the tablets would be arranged in series, each series comprising three different and visually distinguishable tablets, which could be differently colored or differently shaped, or a combination of both, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The tablets b and cl could thus be round, but of different colors, and the tablet c square,

as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or each seriesA could consist of a brown, a white, and a pink tablet, for instance, of any desired shape, so long as each kind of tablet is visually distinguishable from each and all of the other kinds.

I am aware that there are various dierentcolored tablets on the market, and my inven- IOO tion does not' reside in providing differentcolor'ed tablets or in merely giving different colors to tablets already prepared, nor does it reside in simply placing tablets in vials or other holders; but it resides in providing, as an article of manufacture for the market, a holder containing medicinal tablets of visually-distinguishable kinds Aput up in predetermined order, according` to their use, and inherently indicating by the sequence of their visual characteristics the order in which they are to be used.

It will be understood that in practice the holder will be closed by a suitable stopper a2, of cork or other material, and preferably sealed.

In Fig. 2 the holder a5 is shown as having a covering a, on which the title and other matter may be displayed, with a longitudinal sight-opening uw between the adjacent edges of the cover, through which the contents may be observed.

The device containing myinvention obviously requires no directions to indicate that the tabules are to be taken in the sequence in which they are arranged, for this order of taking is suggested or indicated by the device itself, owing to the predeterminate arrangement of the visually-distinguishable tabules, so that one would not naturally take the tabules in any but the order in which they are arranged. Furthermore, in taking tabules or pellets it is a common experience for the taker in turning the holder for their removal to have several of them rollout into his hand, which if he knows they are of different kinds h'e must throw away, thereby wasting them unless they are so distinguished as to permit him to replace them in the order in which they were first arranged, which is the case with my invention, wherein the colors of those already in the vial and the colors of the tabules which have rolled out show instantly in what order they should be replaced to save them and at the same time prevent their being consumed in any but the required order. Obviously, also, the colorof the pellet or tabule at the top or the first of those in the holder shows instantly by its color whether or not the consumer has forgotten totake the required tabule at the proper time. For

example, it' he is required to take a pink tabule before eating and a brown one subsequent to eating and before taking dinner sees that a brown tabule is the first of the series in the holder, he is reminded at once that he had-forgotten to take the required tabule after eating7 and is reminded thereby to exercise greater care, and also knows that he must throw away or otherwise dispose of the brown one and take the following pink one in order to take the one he is required to take before his meal. Thus in every way my invention insures greater regularity, certainty, and safety with corresponding beneficial results in the taking of medicinal tabules or the like.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l l. As a new article of manufacture, a self; indicating, sequential medicated-tabule device, consisting of a holder containing a plurality of kinds of medicinal tabules, each kind distinguishable visually from all the other kinds, said tabulos being predeterminately arranged within said holder in the sequence in which they are required to be consumed, the different kinds of tabules relatively to each other being removable only in the order in which they are arranged, whereby the visual association of said tabules inherently indicates the sequential arrangement of said different kinds of tabules and the required order in which they are to be consu-med togeth'er with the particular kind neXt to be consumed to preserve the predetermined and required sequence.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a selfindicating sequential medicated-tabulev device, con'si-'stiing of a holder constructed toeX- pose visually the order of arrangement of its contents and containing a plurality of kinds of medicinal tabules, each kind distinguishable visually from allY the other kinds, said tabules being pred'eterminately arranged within said holder in the sequence in which they are required to be consumed, the different kinds of tabules relatively to each other being removable only in the order in which they are arranged, whereby the visual association of said tabules inherently indicates at all times the required order in which the different kinds are to be consumed together with the particular kind next to be consumed to preserve the predetermined and required sequence.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

f WILLIS E. PATTISON.

Witnesses:

JOHN C. EDWARDS,

AUGUSTA E. DEAN.

lOO 

